The Last Valerious
by Ogreatrandom
Summary: The story of Velkan's partwerewolf daughter, and how she fights Dracula. The prolouge is about Velkan's wife though. I think I'm getting to the end of this story.
1. Default Chapter

**Author's Note:** So I hadn't really meant to start another story until I finished my first one but I've been attacked with peer pressure. You know who you are. So this isn't funny, which is my favorite type of fanfiction but whatever.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Van Helsing or Dracula or really any character in this story except Lydian and her daughter, (to be introduced in the next chap). Once again I have no idea who does own them.

**Prologue:**

The house was dark as Lydian Valerious, widow of the late Velkan Valerious, entered. In the half-moon the outline of the Valerious Castle was just visible. Lydian and Velkan had lived in the guest cottage on the grounds since they had gotten married just over six years ago. She could scarcely envision what her life was going to be like without him. He had died almost a week ago, although to Lydian it felt like it had been a year. She had buried both him and his sister within days of each other. Now she would have to leave Transylvania. She had just come to the house to pick up the deed so she could sell the grand old mansion and the small cottage where she and Velkan had lived. She had no desire to live in there without him, it wouldn't feel like home. Although her husband had been gypsy royalty she was not since she had simply married into the family rather then having bona fide gypsy blood.

Behind her she was followed by Van Helsing and his partner Carl. Years ago, in the years before she had met Velkan, she used to work for The Holy Order along with the two men. In the past week the three of the had been united to help destroy the most evil being to ever live, (or not to live as the case was), Count Dracula. Even though it had been Count Dracula who had turned her husband into a werewolf Van Helsing had been the one to shoot Velkan with a silver bullet to protect innocent people from his possessed evil rampage. Lydian was heart-broken that Velkan was dead but she couldn't blame Van Helsing. Maybe another person would blame the man who had pulled the trigger but Lydian had worked for The Knights Of The Holy Order and knew more about the reality of the possibilities in a struggle like this one had been. Van Helsing had been forced to do it because of what Velkan had become. They could not have saved him. Lydian knew this, Velkan had told her himself the last time she had seen him.

She had been at their summer home, deep in the mountains near a river. He had come floating down the river, he survived only because of the werewolf venom flowing through his veins. With only one night until the full moon Velkan told her there was nothing that she or anyone could do to save him. When she woke up the next morning he had left.

"Hurry up and find the deed to the house," she heard Carl whisper, "it's really dark in here." His voice brought her back to the present and back into the dark house where she and Velkan had built up a life. A life of their own that now she would have to walk away from. But when Velkan had died it had ended this life for her too.

"Are you afraid?" Lydian couldn't see Van Helsing but she could make out the gently mocking tone in his voice.

"No." Neither Van Helsing or Lydian believed the friar from the way his voice quivered.

"Don't worry I've got it here," said Lydian as she grabbed the deed out of a drawer, "now all we need is the last spare key."

"Please tell me you don't keep that in this creepy house."

"Don't worry Carl," Lydian assured the frightened man, "we keep it out in the Valerious Family Graveyard." Van Helsing laughed out loud as Carl made a whimpering sound.

The Valerious Family Graveyard was connected to the Town Graveyard but separated by a fence. The wind whipped the trees into a frenzy and blew Lydian's cloak back until she tightened it around her. Van Helsing had to hold his hat tightly so it wouldn't fly away into the sinister night. Lydian walked over to he statue of an angel over top of Velkan's mother's grave. She bent back the left wing and pulled out a large gilded old-fashioned key. Silver had worn through the thin gold covering on several parts of the intricate designs that surrounded the Valerious emblem. A black circle surrounded by a silver rope with a winged serpent in the middle, it's mouth parted in a fierce snarl.

"I suppose you are leaving us Madame Valerious." Lydian, Van Helsing, and Carl turned around to see a withered old women approaching out of the shadows. Her hair hung in gray strings emerging from under her bonnet cap. She leaned on a walking stick that was as knotted and twisted as her arms which stuck out from under her traveling cloak.

"I'm sorry Madame Vouyent but I must. I can't stay here anymore."

"Well before you leave would you and your two friends like to come to my house for a cup of tea? Or maybe something stronger?"

"That would be wonderful Madame Vouyent. Thank you."

The Vouyent house had at one time been full and bustling but over the many years, after her children had left and her husband had died, only Madame Claire Vouyent was left. She was the town fortune teller and as Lydian went to put her tea away in the sink Madame Vouyent took it from her.

"Allow me to read your tea leaves. As a parting gift." Lydian nodded and handed her cup over. Madame Vouyent took the cup and peered at the contents. ""Let's see what the future holds for you."

It was several minutes before the old woman spoke again when she did it was in a voice that seemed to come from deep within her, an ageless wise voice that echoed through the room.

"You are about to start a new chapter of your life. You know this but you are not yet aware of what this will be or how vital it will prove to be. At this moment it has already begun even though you do not realize it. Within you is the last remaining heir of the Valerious family. With werewolf venom in her veins yet since she was not bitten the venom does not effect her the same way. She will retain her humanity and free-choice while enjoying the talents of a werewolf. She is an imperative part in the battle against the evil that destroyed the Valerious family, her ancestors." Madame Vouyent blinked and collapsed onto the floor as she often did after giving readings. Van Helsing rushed to help her back into her seat as Carl hurried to catch Lydian who had also fainted to the floor, though she had fainted from shock not exhaustion.

"What did I say?" Asked Madame Vouyent in her normal voice, "is she okay?" She peered over at Lydian with concern.

"You told he she was pregnant," Van Helsing informed the woman, " she'll be okay I think you startled her a little bit."


	2. Velkan's Daughter

**Author's Note:** Sorry it's been so long. I'm kind of unsure where this is going so suggestions are welcome. I'd like to thank Fortune Zyne for reviewing me and also enigmagirl2727 and say that if you like this you'll love enigmagirl2727's new story, (especially if you like Lord Of The Rings). Anyway as I said I'd love ideas for what to do in this story. I have characters but no strong plot.

_**10 Years Later**_

Vilhelmina Magdala Valerious had just turned ten. She lived at the Knights Of The Holy Order training center in Budapest her mother, Lydian Valerious ran. It was hailed as the best training center in the world. Aside from her mother many other people taught at the school. Many of them she had known forever and they had helped Lydian to raise her. Suddenly one of them, Frank Monstrance knocked on her door.

"Mina it's time for breakfast," he called through the closed door, "everyone's waiting for you."

"I'm coming Frank!" She heard his heavy footsteps depart down the hallway. She pulled her dark hair into a low ponytail but she wasn't looking in a mirror. Instead her eyes were gazing thoughtfully at the picture that hung above her desk. It showed a man with a handsome dark face standing next to her mother. It was obviously taken a very long time ago because her mother's face was devoid of any wrinkles and her eyes smiled like emerald gemstones.

The man who stood next to her was her father. She had never known him and knew only small details about him. Such as that he had been killed by Count Dracula and that he had been where she had received the werewolf venom that flowed through her from.

Mina had learned much more about her father from the picture of him that hung before her then from her mother. His dark hair was worn shoulder length and looked so much like hers that sometimes she was sure he had somehow given his to her. The few people she had met who had known her father, Velkan, swore she was a mirror image of him. The only other picture she had seen of him, however, was the one her mother kept in a frame on her bedside table. Slowly she tore her eyes from her father's image and left her room.

She proceeded down to a dining room where an elaborate breakfast was set out. Due to the fierce and rigid training routine few people who stayed actually ate most of the gourmet food the cooks made, yet they continued to make it anyway. Mina thought it was a nice gesture in a overly optimistic way.

"Vilhelmina," it was her mother who rose, not to greet her but to scold her, "you have made us all wait for you."

"I'm very sorry," she answered, "it was horrible of me." Her mother gave her a stern stare but didn't remark on Mina's tone. Instead she sat down next to Frank. Lydian had often told Mina that people's reaction to Frank was a good way to judge their personality. After all it was hard to keep your poker face when you come face to face with a gigantic body made up of seven different men with sparks of electricity flying off of him randomly. Frank had helped her mother raise her. He had had nowhere else to turn, since when he ventured out into the world he was persecuted.

Aside from her mother and Frank, two other men sat at the table. The were Gabriel Van Helsing and Carl the ex-monk. They had both quit their full time jobs with The Knights Of The Holy Order to come work for her mother. All four of them still received assignments from The Knights. Mina had always wanted to work for them too. She couldn't understand how they could give a full time job like that up. To go from hunting evil and protecting humankind to becoming a teacher, Mina couldn't see the sense in that.

But whatever their choices were they were her family. A group of unaccepted loners who helped each other out with anything. Even the raising of a part werewolf child.

Wilhelmina had werewolf venom in her blood but since she hadn't been bit she had complete control over herself and her choices. She could choose to transform into a fierce wolf anytime, not just during the full moon. She also had the inhuman strength that werewolves had. She was also immune to a werewolf's bite. All in all it was a good deal but it still scared people who thought she would suddenly attack them, it hurt to be feared because she was different.

"So Mina," Van Helsing spoke as they all dug into their food, "are you sure you're ready to go to Rome?"

"Yes Uncle Gabe." Mina had decided to train at The Knights Of The Holy Order's headquarters in Rome rather then staying with her family here in Budapest. Her family had been trying to talk her out of it since she had decided.

"I'm sorry I can't take you myself," Lydian said, "I've just got too much to do. But Hel will take you and make sure you get there all right." People who heard the group talking were often confused since Mina called Van Helsing Gabe and her mother called him Hel, while Carl and Frank called him Van Helsing. Everyone but Mina called her mother Lyd and the only time anyone said Vilhelmina was when they were annoyed at her.

"Don't worry mother I'll be fine."

"What is your name?" Mina sighed, her mother kept springing little pop quizzes like this on her.

"Magdamina Monstrance, and I come from a small town outside the Russian border named Rasnorv but we don't speak Russian because, of course, we're outside the border but I've been there several times. I'm an orphan." Her well meaning guardians had decided she needed a false name and background. They were worried that if people connected the dotes after hearing her name they would realize that her 'family' was made up of some of The Order's best. Mina thought it was over doing it but if she didn't go along her mother would never let her go to Rome. "Don't worry mom, I'm ready."

"Then I guess you should pack after breakfast. And remember, if you have a wolf related problem or if you need help go right to The Cardinal."

"I will." Mina sighed thinking the only way she would be going to ask the Cardinal for help would be if she was discovered and ad to flee the country, even then she might not go to the Cardinal, he might tell her mother.


	3. Rome

**Chapter #2:**

It was a three day journey by horse to Rome from Budapest. Van Helsing and Wilhelmina could make it in two, well Van Helsing could and he helped Mina. The first place in Rome they went to was a giant cathedral near the center of the Vatican.

"But Uncle Gabe," Mina whined, "can't we sightsee? What if they don't give us time to explore?"

"Well," Van Helsing said uncomfortably, "I'd love to Mina but I have a sort of mission-"

"That's great," Mina interrupted him, "I'll help you!"

"You're not supposed to know about it, no one is."

"Come on I can keep a secret!" Mina whined, "Please!"

"No," Van Helsing sighed, "your mother would kill me. Besides you have to meet the Cardinal now, and it's not a good idea to be late the very first time."

"Fine," Mina grumbled, "whatever." He grinned and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Soon you'll have your own missions. Here, close your eyes, I have something for you."

"What is it?"

"Close your eyes first." With a sigh Mina closed her eyes and Van Helsing placed something into her hands. She opened her eyes and looked down. It was a ring, she had seen Van Helsing wearing it for years, and a large silver old-fashioned key. Both items bore the same symbol, a black circle surrounded by a silver rope with a winged serpent in the middle, it's mouth parted in a fierce snarl. They were both attached to a thin silver chain that Mina could wear around her neck.

"Thank you Uncle Gabe."

"Both of these have your family crest on them. The ring used to belong to an ancestor of yours until I acquired it and the ring was the spare key to your parents' house from before you were born." Mina touched both objects gently, she didn't have anything else from the Valerious family.

"It means a lot to me."

"I think you deserve to have things to remind you of your heritage." Mina kept her thoughts to herself, it wouldn't do any good to remind Van Helsing that no one had bothered to give her any real details about the Valerious family. But whenever she asked anyone they clammed up and changed the subject. They walked the rest of the way into the giant cathedral in silence, Van Helsing thoughtful and Mina awed. Van Helsing led her into a confessional booth.

"Hey," she said, "aren't I usually alone when I confess my sins?"

"We meet the Cardinal in here." No sooner then the words were out of his mouth when a voice from the other side of the partition spoke up.

"Ah Miss Vilhelmina Valerious," the heavily accented voice said, "I have not seen you since you were just a baby and I came to Budapest to baptize you." Mina didn't even know how to answer him so she kept her mouth shut. "So I was a little surprised that you want to study here in Rome rather then in Budapest with your mother."

"I just wanted to live on my own for a little bit. You know, leave the nest and test my wings."

"Aha," the Cardinal muttered vaguely, "well whatever the reason we are pleased you came here. And Gabriel Van Helsing! How have you been?"

"Oh no complaints, my life hasn't really been threatened or in danger since I was last here. But I'm sure you'll change that."

"Don't be smart-mouthed with me." Mina caught Van Helsing's eyes and giggled while Van Helsing pulled a stern face that perfectly mirrored the Cardinal. On the other side of the confessional the Cardinal said a silent prayer for strength to survive with a sane mind. It would be like training Van Helsing again, and he wasn't sure that he could survive another experience like that. "Already you instruct her in your disobedient ways," he admonished, "you will corrupt her." He pulled a lever and a secret door slid open, revealing the passage into the headquarters for The Knights Of The Holy Order. "Come with me."

Mina's eyes were wide as she took in the first room, it was the laboratories where the weapons were constructed. People in cleric uniforms rushed everywhere, with magnificent creations in their arms.

cardinal's speech about the knights of the holy order

"Classes start tomorrow Magdamina Monstrance" the cardinal told her, "so now you will be shown to your room you will be staying with two other girls. They're already there now." He looked over at Van Helsing and back to Mina. "Gabriel whenever you're done saying goodbye come to my office." The cardinal left swiftly to his office. Van Helsing and Mina looked uncomfortably at each other.

"Thanks for bringing me Gabe."

"It's okay Mina, if you need anything just write. Even if you just need to talk. Just remember to use the code we worked out in case anyone intercepts the letter."

"Why is it so important that no one knows who I really am? It's you, mom, Carl, and Frank who are important." Van Helsing looked over at her sadly, he wished he could tell her but Lydian would kill him.

"Your mother just worries a lot. She doesn't want anything to happen to you." Mina didn't look convinced but thankfully didn't pursue the question. "I'll see you in three months when you have break. One of us will come and get you. Don't go with anyone else."

"I won't," she smiled, "don't worry."

"Good luck Mina."

"Be safe." She gave him a hug and began to follow the orange robed man who had come to bring her to her room.

"You too." He said softly as he watched her go.

**Author Alert:** Sorry to end it like that, it's really cheesy but I haven't decided what her roommates will be like. Tell me if you have any ideas, I think there'll be two. Also thanks to all reviewers! I never realized how rewarding it was to receive reviews until you all sent me some. You all rock my world so I hope if this story doesn't rock yours it at the very least provides you with minutes of entertainment.


	4. The First Day

**Author's Note:** _Ahhhh! I made such a big mistake. I'm sorry. I'm o sorry. That part that just says - cardinal's speech about the knights of the holy order was supposed to be this speech that the Cardinal gives Mina. I was going to use the same speech that he gave to Van Helsing in the movie. I'm sure that you all have an idea of what that would have said. I apologize to you all on my hands and knees with a cherry on top, (I know that's for when you say please but I really like it)._

_On another note I'd like to reassure _Fortune Zyne. _You can't have a story about Van Helsing without bringing Dracula in somehow. He is coming, (but shush it's a surprise), so don't worry._

_And thank you_ enigmagirl2727 _for all of your ideas. I think it's funny that the review board is now where we leave messages that have nothing to do with the story. We all have our little problems! Keep writing you need to post a new chapter! Or else!_

_I could still use ideas or suggestions on the partly formed plot. If you have any let me know. Wow that was a long note. I'll try to keep it shorter next time._

**Chapter #3**

The young man who wore the robes of someone training to be a priest led Mina to her room in complete silence. He remained silent even when she thanked him for brining her bags there. As he left she gave him an uncertain wave. Mina opened the door and peered in. There were two girls already in there. They appeared to be in the middle of an argument. There was a window directly across from the door. The room had three beds all along the same wall. One was close to the door, one closest to the window and one in between them. There was wall-to-wall bookshelves on the opposite wall. The third wall, with the window had three large chests.

"Um," Mina began awkwardly, "I'm your roommate Magdamina Monstrous." The girl on sitting on the bed in the middle of the room opened her mouth to reply but the girl on the bed closest to the door cut her off.

"This sucks," she growled, "I do no want to spend my whole time here stuck sharing a room with you two. This is worse then home." She glared at the girl sitting on the middle bed the whole time. With that she stormed out pushing past Mina roughly and slamming the door behind her.

"Ignore her," the girl still sitting on the bed stood up and reached down to help Mina with her bags, "she never expected that when she got to Rome she would be stuck sharing a room with her little sister."

"You're her little sister? But you two look-"

"The same age? Yeah we are, she was born two minutes before me and will never let me forget it. We're twins." Now that she mentioned it Mina wondered why she hadn't seen it. "I'm Rosita and this is, or was Claudia. We used to be really good friends, then one day she decided we were enemies. Go figure." Mina didn't say so but she was really jealous. She had always wanted a brother or sister, all she had was parent-figures and they weren't the same. Of course she had lived at a school so she saw plenty of other kids but they didn't like her very much. Probably because they hated her mom. Lydian was a tough teacher, as Mina knew only too well.

"It's great to meet you Rosita."

"Well," Rosita surveyed the room, "I guess you'll be sleeping on the bed by the window, since it's the only one left."

"That's fine." As Mina unpacked the two girls compared their feelings, mostly nervous worrying, about the next day. They would have their first day of classes. By the time Claudia returned to the room both of the other girls were in bed.

Mina felt as if she had hardly got into bed when a ringing bell dragged her from bed.

"What's going on?" Movement from the other two beds showed that she wasn't the only one who had been woken up.

"That's the bell to get up," answered Claudia in a snooty voice, "it tells us we have fifteen minutes to get to the Chapel of Religions."

"Even though Rome is the center of Catholics there are many other religions from all over. Every morning we have a service that encompasses all religions." Mina looked out the window.

"What time is it?" She asked. "The sun is barely up."

"It's five in the morning," Rosita answered, "or it will be in fifteen minutes. You should hurry. I'll show you where the chapel is."

"Thanks," Mina said gratefully, "I would never find it on my own." Claudia snorted and muttered under her breath. Rosita rolled her eyes and ignored her sister.

Exactly fifteen minutes later the three girls had joined the rest of the over fifty students prepared to begin studies with The Knights Of The Holy Order. The service was a concise, yet brief, mixture of almost every imaginable religion. The Cardinal then stood up. He welcomed all the students, expressing his pleasure at seeing so many new students attending. He passed out schedules to all of them, then he sent them on their way.

From six to seven the students had a chance to do their morning exercises. While this was a new concept to many of the students Mina had been doing exercises every morning for as long as she could imagine. People like her mother and Van Helsing did not keep their forms by just eating healthy. Rosita hadn't ever had a real exercise routine so Mina gave her a few tips. Right after that, from seven to eight, they could clean up and eat breakfast.

Their first class was religions, it was taught by The Cardinal. From eight to nine they took notes and memorized prayers from religions all over the world. But this class, The Cardinal explained, would also deal in such subjects as symbols, languages, and the maintaining of ancient texts.

The next hour they had a class on Healing and Potions. The short man who taught it obviously wore the same cloths while he gardened. His boots were caked with dry mud. The classroom he taught in resembled a kitchen more then a classroom.

From ten to eleven they had a class in monster awareness. Their teacher started them working immediately with a lecture on clues to look for when determining if people were turning into a monster. The classroom had three wall to wall book shelves on three sides. The shelves were crammed with books with labels like 'Fangs, Fur, and Full Moons' 'Terrors Of The East' and 'Magical Beasts And Where To Find Them'.

The last class of the morning was a class that taught how to make weapons. The man who taught it was young with hair that hadn't been cut or brushed for that matter for years. He set them all to work heating metal to shape it into a circle. It was their first assignment and none of the students could shape a perfect circle. Quite a few were rushed off to the infirmary to be treated for burns.

At lunch all the students sank into their chairs and dug into the food. Mina found the food served here much better then the junk they had at her mother's school.

After lunch, from one to two the students had a class in hand to hand combat. Their teacher was a little old Asian woman. Any person who thought she was a pushover was in for a shock when she soundly beat every student in a bout. Each bout lasted several seconds and resulted in the students being flipped, thrown, pushed, or otherwise forced out of the chalk circle. After that they spent the rest of the hour performing various muscle strengthening activities.

They had all been looking forward to their class in fighting with weapons. The teacher gave them a lecture on choosing a weapon that suited your personality. She said all this while sharpening a lethal looking knife with a foot long blade. The wall was decorated with every imaginable weapon.

Their next class was from three to four. It was a class in horseback riding. The teacher who met them in front of the stables. She instructed them to choose a horse to ride. Then they spent the rest of the class learning how to properly groom their horse.

Their last class was a class about undercover and concealment. Their teacher was a plain woman who instantly set them to practicing picking up bags filled with stones without making a noise. It was an almost impossible task that their teacher managed to do perfectly.

The next hour was their free period. Even though they knew they should be starting their work all the students wanted to do was relax. Then the next hour, six to seven, was dinner time. And the last hour from seven to eight was another free time. Then they were allowed to spend a hour in their rooms studying.


	5. Two Months Later

**_Author's Note: _**

_Hi guys, it's me again. I'm really sorry about the confusing time jump. It was just taking too long to get to the main plot. I hope nobody's too confused by the jump. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't all that great as well. I wrote it at like two in the morning because I couldn't sleep. _

_As always I want to thank everyone who has reviewed or even just took the time to read my story. And thanks to enigmagirl2727 for her review. Post your next chapter soon, or else._

** Chapter #4 **

Mina woke up suddenly when the bell rang. It felt like no time had passed but it had been a whole two months later since Mina had begun training at The Knights Of The Holy Order in Rome. Once again she was waking to the first bell, then her day would begin. She could hear Rosita stirring in the next bed over. Claudia was already sitting up in her bed.

She and Rosita were now the best of friends, they were almost always found together. Claudia, on the other hand, was not their friend. Rosita tried often to get Claudia to hang out with them but she would have none of it. She had her own group of friends and could care less about her roommates. Mina tried, for Rosita's sake, to be nice to Claudia but it was hard.

As usual they basically slept through the beginning religious services. They weren't alone, most of the students thought that attending religious services were boring and didn't pay attention. People only really woke up during morning exercises. Then they went to The Cardinal's religions class. That month they were working on languages. Mina had found out that she hated languages, while Rosita and Claudia were the best in the class.

During the next class, potions and healing, Mina worked on the class assignment for Potions and Healing. Rosita, Mina's partner, wrote the essay that was due during their Making Weapons class. Mina also had to do hers too so during their Monster Awareness class Rosita did the work while Mina did her essay. It was an arrangement they had done many times to finish homework. It worked out since luckily most class assignments were for pairs to do.

Rosita finished her essay minutes before the bell that announced the end of class rang. Then she and Mina started towards their Monster Awareness class. When they got there they were told to research the best climates for basic monsters. Rosita started the research while Mina began her essay for their Making Weapons class.

Mina was almost done her essay when she heard a cough over her. Looking up she found Ms. Nikmis, their teacher in Monster Awareness looking over her shoulder and reading her essay.

"Your essay is very good Ms. Monstrous," she said taking it off the table and holding it up, "the only snag I see is that it is not for the class you are in now. I thought you and Rosita were supposed to be working together on a assignment for my class. But since you seem to enjoy writing essays so much you will get to write an extra one for my class due tomorrow." At that moment the bell went off and everyone stood up. Ms. Nikmis beckoned Mina over and handed her a piece of paper with the assignment written on it. Mina took the paper silently and left the classroom.

"Mina," said Rosita as soon as they were out of the classroom, "I'm so sorry she crept up on me. I never saw her coming."

"She must be the only person in the world who actually took Undercover and Concealment seriously."

"What's the essay on?"

"How climate effects," Mina read from the paper, "the lifestyles of monsters. Pick an example from each continent except Antarctica."

"Don't worry I'll help you," said Rosita, "we can do it during free time before diner."

"Thanks Ro," said Mina, "I think I'll outline it during our Making Weapons Class."

And she would have except that during their Making Weapons class Mr. Eivets set them to work making sais with a set complicated design around the handle, without a mold. Making them took forever to do even with a mold. To make matters worse insane Mr. Eivets had brought his parrot with him. It spent the whole class swooping at unsuspecting students and ruining their work. Every time it did Mr. Eivets would feed it a cracker.

At lunch Mina and Rosita came up with a list of monsters to highlight in the essay. They had just finished when the bell rang calling them to afternoon classes. All the students now expected to get beat up during Hand To Hand Combat class by their teacher, Mrs. Korei. Before she had begun Mrs. Korei's class Mina had always considered herself to be a very good at hand to hand fighting. Now she knew that she was nowhere near being good at it.

Things were only slightly better in their class on using weapons taught by Ms. Hiracep. This was because if Ms. Hiracep actually used weapons on the students seriously it would leave visible marks. The impression the students had gotten from Ms. Hiracep on the first day was accurate. Woe to the careless student who used a weapon incorrectly in her class.

In their horseback riding class Ms. Snave had them all work on their jumping over objects that could be in their way. When she demonstrated Ms. Snave made it look so easy but it wasn't. The horses really had to trust their riders and none of the students horses trusted them the way Ms. Snave's horses trusted her. But still Mina like riding a lot and she really loved her horse. She was hoping that she could convince her mother to let her buy the horse she was using in class when her training was complete.

In Undercover and Concealment their teacher now had them doing a new complicated stunt. She had set up scales with a bag of coins on one end and a glass statue on the other. Their task was to switch the bag of coins for a bag of stones fast and smooth enough that the balance didn't tilt enough for the glass statue to fall and break. And as usual they had to make no sound whatsoever. Predictably when they left the class their teacher was short a few hundred statues.

But there was no rest for Mina and Rosita who went straight to the library when classes were over. Rosita worked on the worksheet from Potions and Healing, (match the ingredients with their potions) while Mina was finding maps for the areas the monsters she had chosen lived.

"Hey Ro," Mina called from the index cabinet, "what monster do I have written down for Europe?" She heard Ro standing up and checking Mina's list.

"You have vampire written down." In the slide archive Mina selected several slides marked 'vampire' and ' Transylvania'. She brought it over to the table where Rosita was working and Mina had set up a projector.

The first three rolls of slides Mina looked at didn't have a map. They had images of stakes, teeth, and even the best garlic for repelling vampires but no map. The forth however had a map on the first image. Looking at it Mina began the paragraph.

About ten minutes later she got up and looked at the map closer. Then she sighed and turned to Rosita.

"Damn, why doesn't this map have any city names?" Rosita stood up and came over to look at the map too.

"Maybe," Rosita said as she found the controls for the projector, "there's more details on the next image." But when she clicked to the next slide the picture of a man came up instead of a map.

"Who," asked Rosita, "is that?" Mina didn't answer even though she knew the face already. It was Count Dracula, she had seen his picture in an unused room in the school her mom ran in Budapest. The large mansion had been the count's summer home at one time. She remembered the face since he had completely destroyed her family. She picked up the case that the roll had been in. She opened it and checked its label.

"That's Count Dracula. The next slide is-" but when she saw the name her breath caught, "Valerious The Elder." Rosita clicked the machine not noticing how Mina had reacted to the name. The name wasn't the only thing that shocked Mina however. The label next to the name, Valerious The Elder, read: 'Count Dracula's Father'. "His father…" she hadn't realized she had been talking aloud. Rosita looked at her worried.

But Mina's mind was racing, no one had ever mentioned this. Not her mother, not Carl, not Frank, not even Gabe. Why hadn't they told her? Did they think she couldn't handle it?

"Mina," said Rosita in a concerned voice, "Mina you don't look so well. Are you okay?" But Mina was going over to where she could control the projector herself. She clicked the button and the next picture was displayed. It showed a man with long scruffy hair and an eye patch. Consulting the name and caption written on the case Mina looked back at the picture and stared. It read Boris Valerious: King Of The Gypsies.

But even as Mina's muddled brain tried to work through still more new information about her family, (if her grandfather was a king what would that make her?), her eyes fell upon the next name on the list. It said Velkan Valerious. Her father.

She franticly pressed the button to see the next picture. When it came up she sank down into a seat. It was the exact same picture her mother kept on her bedside table.

"Mina," Rosita now sounded panicky, "Mina talk to me. What's wrong?"

"That's my father." Mina didn't know what else she could tell her friend. There was so much here that she had never known. She had always knew that her family had some significance but she had always been told it was nothing important. According to this she was a descendent of Dracula himself. Apparently she was also the ruler of the gypsies. "I have to know more," she decided, "it's time I learned about my father's family."

When the bell for diner rang Mina and Rosita were pouring over books that referred to the Valerious family. But there were huge gaps in the information the library had on her family, and on her father in particular.

"Rosita," she said slowly, "I need to go to Transylvania."

"Why?"

"Ro I need answers, I just do."

"Well then I'm going with you."

The two girls snuck out that night while the rest of the students were eating diner. Or almost all of the students. Claudia saw Rosita and Mina leaving and began to follow them. But they didn't see or hear her. Claudia paid attention during Undercover and Concealment.


	6. The Man In The Mirror

_Author's Note:_

_ I'm really tired of putting off writing this story because I can't come up with a solid and well thought out plot. So I'm just writing and coming up with a plot as I go. This might not be the smartest idea but then again I'm not the smartest person. As always thank you for reading and reviewing._

**Chapter #5**

"Thank you very much," the Cardinal told the array of teachers surrounding the desk, "for coming." There was Jill Nikmis who taught monster awareness, Patrick Eivets who taught making weapons, the using weapons teacher Andrea Hiracep, and Anna Snave the horse-back riding teacher. "As you all know three students have run away, Magdamina Monstrance, Claudia and Rosita Napsora. What you don't know," he told the teachers heavily, "is that Magdamina Monstrance is actually Vilhelmina Magdala Valerious." Several of the teachers gasped in surprise, the decade old mission in which Van Helsing had saved the world from Dracula was a famous story and they all knew the details.

"I thought," Anne Snave said, "that there were no more members of the Valerious family."

"Her mother was married to Velkan Valerious and the girl is," he paused for a second as if making up his mind then continued, "she has werewolf blood in her."

"Amazing," Ms. Nikmis gasped, "she's not a true wolf but because of the venom she inherits-"

"Yes Ms. Nikmis," the Cardinal interrupted, "we know. The problem is that we feel that because of her connections she will be in danger. I need three of you to start after her and bring her back safely. And I need the fourth person to go and inform her mother, Lydian Valerious that she has run away."

"I'll go tell her mother," Mr. Eivets said standing up.

"Good," the Cardinal exclaimed, "you will give her this letter from me. And you three," he turned to the other teachers, "will start out after the three girls immediately."

Three days later Mr. Patrick Eivets reached the Budapest Knights Of The Holy Order training school. He asked to see Mrs. Lydian Valerious about her daughter. He told them he was her teacher and was quickly rushed to an office and told to wait for Mina's mother.

The door flung open and a woman stalked in. She had dark red hair, piercing green eyes, and small wrinkles, some from stress or sadness, and some from amusement or joy around her eyes and mouth. Despite the wrinkles she was obviously in excellent shape.

"What has my daughter done?" Her voice was like that of most teachers, no nonsense, sharp, and to the point. Patrick felt like he was back in school himself and being scolded for some mischief.

"She's sort of run away," he answered not meeting her eyes. Just then the door burst open and three men came in.

"What do you mean she ran away?" Lydian didn't look up at the men but Patrick did. The first man wore a long black trench coat and wore a hat even though they were indoors. He had dark hair that fell below his ears, coming just short of his shoulders. He was followed closely by a man wearing a brown robe. He had light red hair and wide blue-grey eyes. Behind him was a third man. He was huge, his head just about brushed the ceiling. His face was not that of a normal human being, it had what appeared to be cracks and stitches in it. As Patrick watched in horror sparks flew off him.

Patrick tried to both back away and stand up at the same time. This resulted in him falling backwards over the chair in a sort sitting down of back flip.

"Been there," the man in the brown robe said to the others with a grin, "done that." Lydian exchanged a look with the towering Frank that said, "this one's a wimp" and the giant monster chuckled.

"Who ran away?" Van Helsing asked Lydian. His question immediately snapped her back into the situation.

"Apparently Mina has run away," she growled looking over at Patrick, "her teacher Mr. Eivets was just about to tell us why."

Mina and Rosita were being led through a hall to their room by the innkeeper. They had been stopping in every town to try to find information but so far they had found none.

"I'm looking for the gypsies," Mina began but was quickly interrupted.

"There are no gypsies in this town"

"Do you know," Rosita asked, "where we could find some?"

"Not in this town," he answered sharply opening a door and ushering them in, "that's all I know." They walked into the room but before they could continue asking he had slammed the door I their faces.

"This is familiar," Rosita sighed, "painfully familiar. So I guess we go to the local pubs and other places where people hang out tonight to ask more questions?"

"I guess," Mina answered in a discouraged voice, "but no one will tell us anything. This is the third town that refuses to talk about the gypsies. Something strange is happening here."

Claudia watched her twin sister and Magdamina Monstrance leave the inn from her own room at the inn. She was frustrated because she still didn't have any idea why her two roommates had run away from Rome. From what she could tell they were looking for gypsies and a family called Valerious. It just didn't make any sense.

"But it does," a voice interrupted her thoughts, "but only if you know everything."

"Who's there?" Claudia asked sharply looking around the room wildly. "How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"Just take a look in your mirror," the voice said, "I'm going to tell you everything." Claudia went cautiously over to her mirror and peered in. She let out a yell of surprise as she saw a man. He had long shiny black hair pulled back into an elegant pony tail. His face was long and pale. His eyes stood out against the nearly white skin. There was a small smirk on his mouth. "You and I are going to be good friends," he told her the smirk widening.

Mina and Rosita walked down the street, looking for a place where the townspeople were hanging out. The sky was overcast and the billowing clouds were moving across the sky faster even then Mina and Rosita were walking down the street.

"Excuse me," a voice called out behind them, "girls. Wait." Exchanging a glance Mina and Rosita turned around.

They were being followed by a man wrapped in two heavy traveling cloaks that concealed his shape and the details of his face. "You are the girls looking for the gypsies, yes?"

"Yes," Mina gasped excitedly, "yes, we are."

"There is a mountain," he pointed out to a mountain that jutted just above the trees. "I have heard rumors that sometimes gypsies are seen upon the very top."


	7. Enter Dracula

_Author's Note:_

_It's been awhile, I know. Don't kill me. If you still have any interest in this story I hope you enjoy it. I'm actually supposed to be writing a college essay now but the topic is stupid. Something about writing how community service makes you feel. Come on, is there anything more dull? Anyway, thanks to enigmagirl2727 and to Fortune Zyne for reviewing. I promise to write the next chapter soon. I think I have a plan, otherwise known as a plot._

**Chapter #6**

"All right," Jill Nikmis said to the other two teachers with her as they walked into the pub, "you should let me do all the talking."

"Why can't we talk?" demanded Andrea Hiracep turning to glare at Jill.

"Yeah," Anne Snave added, "why are you more qualified to talk then us?"

"You," Jill pointed at Anne, "spend all your time talking to horses. And you," she turned to Andrea who was still glaring at her, "would threaten possible witnesses and then they will not give us answers." Andrea and Anne exchanged glances and then Anne spoke up.

"Granted, you're right. But," she continued, "that doesn't mean I don't resent the fact."

"Sometimes you need to threaten people," added Andrea with a scowl.

"Come on," Jill said ignoring Andrea, "let's start asking questions."

An hour later they had asked everyone in the pub and had found out nothing. Annoyed they left and began to walk down the street. They were still close to the pub, however, when they heard a man screaming.

Without a word they followed the sound into an alleyway off the main road. By the dead end at the end of the alley was a man, he was clutching his head and screaming on his knees.

"Get out of my head," he yelled throwing himself onto the ground.

"Do you have a-" Jill began but Andrea interrupted her.

"Right here," she said throwing Jill a lethal looking dagger.

"No," Jill cried, "I need a cross or some holy water!"

"Here," Anne reached up and pulled her necklace off and handing the gold cross to Jill.

"I saw a church back down the street," Andrea said, "I'll get some holy water." Jill handed the dagger over to Andrea, who shook her head. "You'd better keep the knife, he looks shifty." They all looked at the man writhing on the ground.

Finally the three teachers had soaked the man in holy water and put the cross around him and he was no longer possessed. They helped him back to the bar they all sat around a table with quite large mugs in front of them, and they weren't drinking milk.

"And that's all I remember," the man concluded, "I saw that face in my mirror and it all goes blank."

"Classic possession," Jill concluded.

"So you're the expert," Anne said to Jill, "what did it?"

"This is Transylvania," Jill sighed, "it could be anything."

"You're sure you don't remember anything?"

"Nothing," the man answered Andrea.

"Think real hard," Anne pleaded, "we're trying to find two girls-"

"Wait," the man said suddenly standing up, "I remember something!"

Mina and Rosita were soon struggling up the mountain. Their going was slow because of the steep, rocky terrain. Night had fallen and it was hard to see. They could tell that one wrong move would send them hurtling back down amid thousands of falling rocks.

Luckily their training at the Knights Of The Holy Order School was coming in handy. Mina was sure that without the training that she had gotten at the school she never would have had the stamina to get herself this far up the mountain.

"So they're going to the top of Devil's Mountain? That," Anne was saying, "doesn't sound good."

"Let's go," Andrea said standing up, "if we hurry we might catch them."

Lydian, Van Helsing, Frank, Carl, and Patrick Eivets were traveling along a well beaten path. After hearing where her daughter was headed Lydian had insisted on setting off for Transylvania immediately.

"Wait," Van Helsing said stopping his horse and squinting through the darkness, "look." He dismounted and pointed at the ground.

"I don't see anything," Patrick said dismissively.

"You're not looking hard enough," Van Helsing said with an eye roll at the teacher, "there's a set of footprints here." Lydian dismounted and bent down to look at the prints.

"One of those prints is my daughter's," she proclaimed.

"How do you know?" Carl panted, nearly falling off the horses in exhaustion.

"It's a mother thing," Lydian answered simply.

"Then let's head up," Frank said also dismounting, "we can leave the horses here."

"Finally," Rosita managed to say throwing herself on the ground, "we made it to the top of this stupid mountain."

"I don't see any gypsies here," Mina moaned in a discouraged voice, "in fact it hardly looks big enough for a group of gypsies to camp up here."

They both looked around. The only thing at the top was an oddly shaped rock. It was flat on the top and about the size of a stool. Suddenly Mina walked over to it.

"Did you hear something?" she asked.

"No," Rosita said following her, "what did you hear?"

They both looked at the top of the rock and abruptly gasped. There was a drawing on it identical to the engraving on the ring Van Helsing had given Mina when she started at The Knights Of The Holy Order.

The rock suddenly burned red hot. Then the mountain erupted. Rosita and Mina were thrown off. Also Jill, Andrea, and Anne found themselves on a mountain that all of the sudden had exploded. The same thing was happening to Lydian, Van Helsing, Frank, Carl, and Patrick. When the smoking rubble of the mountain began to clear only one person was standing.

Dracula surveyed the destruction around him with a wide grin. Looking at the horizon he saw that the sun would be up soon. He would have to exact his personal revenge later. But that was all right. The daylight would only delay his plans, not cancel them.

_Other Author's Note:_

_Yes, Dracula has finally shown up. It took longer then I thought but what can you do?_

_Not much._


	8. Split Up

_Author's Note:_

_Whoa! Fortune Zyne, you are a lightning fast read and reviewer! I posted the chapter and like two minutes later I had received your very kind review. Props to you. Anyway thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoy it._

**Chapter #7**

It took a few minutes for anyone to come around after having a mountain blow up from under them. Nobody had seen Dracula. What they did notice was that they were no longer with the same people as they had been with before the mountain exploded.

The first thing Jill felt was a pounding in her head. Thinking hard she remembered something about a bar and a large mug of home-made beer. And there was something about a mountain that she couldn't remember.

She sat up, keeping her eyes closed tightly and cursed viciously. She was never drinking home-made beer again, this was the worst hangover ever.

Then she opened her eyes and the memory of the mountain bursting open like a giant bomb. In front of her was a man squatting and staring at her. The man was wearing a hat and a trench coat, both were black. She recognized the famous silhouette as Van Helsing. He also had a fancy revolver leveled unwaveringly at her face.

"Van Helsing," she breathed. His exploits were famous within the Knights Of The Holy Order.

"Who are you?" He said threateningly. "How do you know my name? Who do you work for?"

"My name is Jill Nikmis," she said slowly, "I work for The Knights Of The Holy Order, like you. That's how I know who you are."

"Prove it," Van Helsing said not lowering the gun at all.

"I have a ring that the Cardinal gave me for five years of service," she said quickly, "look-." But just then Jill realized that the ring she wore every day was no longer on her finger. "It isn't here," she cried out looking at the ground and seeing nothing but dirt, "it must have fallen off."

"How convenient," Van Helsing drawled, "it just happened to slip off."

"I'm telling the-"

"Put your hands up."

Two kids, in their mid-teens, were walking towards the mountain. They had seen the smoke raising out of the forest and had gone to investigate. One was tall for his age but very thin, his name was Elias. The other was shorter but built along the lines of a gorilla on steroids. He was called Cyrus and he was Elias' cousin and best friend.

"Hey what's that?" Elias said to Cyrus pointing down at the ground.

"I don't see anything," Cyrus answered Elias. Elias bent down and scooped a small ring off the ground.

"You should have seen it," Elias chided his cousin, "after all you're closer to the ground."

"Ha ha," Cyrus said dryly, "so what is it?"

"It's a ring of some kind," Elias answered looking at it closely. He was looking at the ring and didn't notice anything else on the ground. Until he tripped over a person unconscious on the ground.

"Whoa," Cyrus whispered. The two boys bent down quickly and began to try to wake up the woman on the ground.

Patrick Eivets woke up slowly. He lay completely still for a few minutes before dragging himself to his feet.

Then he heard the sound of someone running through the trees. Turning he recognized Anne Snave crashing through the trees.

"Run," she shouted seeing him, "run!"

"What-?" But then he saw in horror that she was being chased. Chased by five short creatures in brown cloaks that matched their body armor. They also wore goggles over their eyes completing the creepy effect. Together the two teachers ran but the creatures were quickly gaining on them.

But they couldn't run fast enough and soon their pursuers were almost on top of them. One leapt at Anne and tackled her to the ground while another grabbed the back of Patrick's coat and threw him to the ground. The other three creatures closed in.

Suddenly with a shout a third person entered the fray. Or rather many persons stitched together. Frank grabbed two creatures and threw them like they were nothing. Another ran at Frank, but as he was twice the size of the creature Frank calmly swept the creature aside. Then he moved on to the two that held the teachers. Once their captors had been tossed aside by the gigantic Frank Anne stared and Patrick nodded.

"We must keep going," Frank yelled in his deep voice, "or more will come."

"What were those things?" Patrick asked trying to keep up with Frank.

"Dwerger," he answered, "servants of Dracula. They were supposed to have been destroyed when Dracula died."

"Who are you?"

"This is Frank," Patrick told Anne quickly, "he's friends with Lydian Valerious and teaches at her school. Frank, this is Anne Snave a teacher for the Knights Of The Holy Order in Rome with me."

"Nice to meet you Frank," Anne gasped.

"No time for that," Frank yelled at them, "we have to keep running."

Carl woke up and realized that he was lying on a cold stone floor. To add to the ominous scenario his hands were tied behind his back and his ankles were bound together. He struggled against the ropes.

"Finally," a woman's voice spoke from behind him, "you're awake."

"W-w-who's there," Carl asked his voice shaking.

"A fellow prisoner," the voice answered. With a heave Carl rolled over and saw a woman, who also had her hands tied behind her back and her ankles tied. She had managed to get herself into a sitting position.

"I'm Carl," he said from the ground.

"Andrea," she told him, "I guess you were on that mountain too."

"I was," he said struggling to sit up and failing.

"Do this," she said, "roll onto your stomach and then pull yourself into a kneeling position." Straining Carl followed Andrea's example and got himself up in a sitting position as well.

"What now?" Carl asked.

"I have a dagger in my boot," Andrea told Carl, "I can't reach it but you may be able to pull it out."

"I'll try," Carl said.

"Madame Valerious," a voice called to Lydian, "time to wake up." Lydian opened her eyes and saw a familiar woman shaking her shoulder. It was a withered old women with grey string like hair emerging from under her bonnet cap. She held a walking stick that was as knotted and twisted as her arms which stuck out from under her traveling cloak.

"What happened?" Lydian said staring at the woman in shock. "Madame Claire Vouyent, is that you?"

"It is me Madame Valerious," Madame Vouyent answered with a smile, "two of my great-grandsons found you unconscious in the woods and brought you back here."

"Where is here?"

"You are at the gypsy camp of course."

Rosita ran through the forest desperately looking for Mina. Finally she found Mina sitting on the ground looking around in shock.

"Mina," she cried sitting down next to her, "are you all right?"

"I'm not hurt," she said slowly, "very confused and a little disoriented. Other then that I'm fine."

"There you two are," a voice chuckled. Mina and Rosita's mouths fell open in shock as Claudia stepped out from behind a tree. "I was worried that after that mountain exploded that you two would slip away before I could find you again."

"You were following us?" Mina asked stunned.

"That is so typical," Rosita yelled outraged, "you are so nosy. You're always going out of your way to find out what other people are up to."

"I was just looking out for my little sister."

"Oh no," Rosita exclaimed exasperatedly, "you can not pull that! You are nothing more then an insufferable busybody!" Claudia stiffened and glared at her sister.

"Well that's too bad for you," she said with an evil grin, "since I'm an insufferable busybody who works for Count Dracula."


	9. I Don't Know What To Call This Chapter

**Chapter 8**

"So you gypsies are still around?" Lydian asked Madame Vouyent in a stunned voice. "But how come I'd never met any while Velkan was alive."

"Well you had met me," Madame Vouyent explained gently, "and after all I am a gypsy. But Dracula always attacked us so fiercely. When he was at the height of his power he killed many of us. So many died. To protect ourselves most of us went into hiding in the forests. Only a few of us stayed in the village to stay close to your family. But of course after they were all killed we all left."

"So that's how you got here?"

"That's right," Madame Vouyent smiled, "I left directly after you did. I've been here ever since." A very tall and thin boy came in holding a teapot and two cups. "Ah thank you Elias." She took the pot and cups and smiled at the boy. "Elias is one of my great-grandsons who found you in the forest."

"Well in that case," Lydian said standing up and bowing, "thank you for your assistance."

"You're welcome Madame Valerious," he replied sinking into an awkward bow before leaving.

The two women caught up as they drank their tea. Lydian explained how she was looking for her daughter and that there were probably several other people out around the remains of the mountain who may need help.

"Oh Madame Valerious," Madame Vouyent said as they finished drinking their tea, "would you like me to read your fortune?"

"Not this time," Lydian answered with a smile.

It took them a while but finally Carl and Andrea both had their hands free. Andrea had cut the ropes off of Carl's ankles and was just cutting off the rope binding her own feet when they heard the sounds of movement outside of the door. Carl crawled over and put his ear to the door.

They both froze and listened, sure they were about to get caught. But the footsteps were moving in a different direction. With the danger past Andrea finished cutting the rope and stood up gingerly.

"Ok," Carl said, "now what?"

"Well," Andrea mused, "I guess we have to break down the door."

"How are we going to do that?" he asked.

"We're going to hit it," Andrea replied simply.

"That's impossible."

Five minutes later Andrea had hit the door open and Carl had apologized for doubting she could. When they were running down the halls, trying to find a way out, they heard the footsteps again. This time the footsteps were undoubtedly coming towards them.

They ducked through an open door into a room. Carl grinned in surprise as he saw the laboratory equipment filling the room. Andrea on the other hand widened her eyes in alarm as she looked around.

"Damn it," she hissed looking around wildly, "there's no way out of here, not even a window. We're trapped."

"Maybe not," Carl said slowly picking up a jar and peering at the substance inside of it.

"Tell me this is just one of your sick jokes Claudia," Rosita demanded, "you can't be serious about this. You can't be working for Dracula."

"Hey," Claudia snapped, "don't try to boss me around. I am older then you after all."

"By minutes," Rosita argued, "that doesn't count."

"If I can interrupt the family squabble for just one second," Mina said loudly, "but if I could bring us back to the topic of Dracula."

"Of course," Claudia said with a huge grin, "I will take you to him now. He has to kill you to stay in this world and regain his former power. That's the deal he made."

"Good to know," Mina commented, "but we're not going to see Dracula. I'm going to take a guess and say he's holed up in a castle somewhere since the sun is out and I know he won't come out in the sun." Claudia's mouth dropped open. "Of course that means that you'll have to manage to drag the two of us to see him."

"That won't be a problem," Claudia said recovering from her shock and snapping her fingers. Ten Dwerger came over. Mina recognized them from Frank's descriptions. He had often told her stories about fighting them in the bed-time stories he had made up for her as a girl.

"I'm afraid I have to disagree," Mina growled. She turned and looked at Rosita. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?" Rosita started to say but then stopped in horror.

Concentrating as hard as she could Mina had scrunched up her face and was beginning to change. Her muscles bulged and grew as her features began to change. Her face elongated and she began to grow fur as she shed her normal skin.

Both Claudia and Rosita screamed and the Dwerger jabbered in terror. With a low growl Mina stood up, towering over the others, now completely transformed into a werewolf.

She grabbed Claudia by the arm and ran, shoving Dwerger out of the way as she went. Soon Claudia was staring at the retreating figure in shock and disbelief.

Once they were out of harm's way Mina slowed down. She transformed back almost exactly the way she had transformed into a werewolf only in reverse. Rosita still hadn't said anything. With a groan Mina completed the transformation back into a human.

"I'm so sorry," she said to Rosita, "there was no other way."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Rosita asked her eyes accusing, "You should have mentioned it?"

"It's a difficult subject to work into your everyday conversation," Mina pointed out dryly. "So, isn't this weather nice? By the way, my father who died before I was born was a werewolf and so I'm sort of a werewolf. But don't worry, I'm not dangerous." She glared at Rosita. "Can you see where that would be a hard thing to find the right moment to reveal?"

"Yeah," Rosita grumbled, "but you scared me so bad when you started- well you know. Does it hurt?"

"More then you could ever imagine." The two of them walked through the woods searching for other people from the other groups and keeping their eyes open for more Dwerger.

"Hey," Andrea called to Carl, "the Dwerger are about to break in. I can't hold them for too much longer. How's that bomb coming?"

"Almost done," Carl called, "just another minute."

At that moment with a crash the door burst open. Andrea was thrown back. The first few Dwerger to come into the room stopped in the doorway. Taking advantage of their pause Andrea came at them with her knife. One went down, then another. The third, however, dodged the knife. His lucky swing hit her in the side of the head. She staggered but recovered in time to slice at the Dwerger's throat.

"Andrea," Carl yelled, "it's ready!" She abandoned the fight and ran over to Carl. He threw his newly made bomb at the wall and it exploded. By the time the smoke had cleared Carl and Andrea were long gone.

"Will you please stop holding me at gunpoint?" Jill cried in exasperation to Van Helsing who only pushed the pistol harder into the small of her back.

"Keep walking," he growled, "until you can prove to be who you say you are I'm taking no chances."

"Arg," she moaned.

"Quiet," he hissed, "I hear something."

A second later Mina and Rosita walked out of a clump of bushes right in front of Van Helsing and Jill.

"Uncle Gabe!" Mina yelled, suddenly looking several years younger. He gave her a big hug as Jill stared in shock. Of all the things she had expected from the fiercest monster killer ever it was not this.

A similar meeting was taking place less then a mile away. Carl and Andrea's race to escape Dracula had sent them right into the path of Frank, Patrick, and Anne. After a brief round of introductions each group caught the other up on what trouble they had escaped from.

"You made a bomb right then and there?" Patrick asked awed.

"Carl can make anything but especially bombs," Frank chuckled.

"Um guys," Anne interrupted, "hate to bring up a possibly depressing or hopeless subject but where are we heading?"

"I think I know where we should go," Carl said slowly, "Frank?"

"It's not far," Frank agreed, "and it makes perfect sense for the others to head there."

"Somebody tell me what's going on," Andrea demanded.

"There it is," Van Helsing said pointing up at the huge castle, "the Valerious Family Mansion."

"Mom told me she sold it years ago," Mina protested.

"That's what she told everyone," Van Helsing said casually, "but I found the deed in her office a few months ago. I guess she just couldn't let it go." Jill, who Mina had been able to vouch for, reached the door first.

"It's locked," she called back.

"That's all right," Van Helsing chuckled, "Mina has the key."

Mina slowly pulled the chain she wore around her neck off. She held the key up and looked closely at it. Then she walked over to the door and stuck the key in. She turned the key and they all heard the lock click.

The door to the Valerious house swung open with a creak.


	10. Plans

_**Author's Note:**_

_Well after this there will only be two more chapters. To tell the truth I've kind of gotten sick of the character Mina. I don't know why but now she's just bugging me. Go figure._

_But I like the other characters I've come up with, especially the teachers since they're all based on real friends of mine, (who have agreed to it). They've been really good about giving me good ideas about what their characters can do though some of their ideas have been **a** **little** out there (for example the suggestion that Jack the Ripper should show up or any of the ideas that involved dragons). I think they're all part of the group account I am part of, (mbus55)._

_Anyway, thanks to enigmagirl2727, SpeedDemon315, and Fortune Zyne for reviewing. Thanks also for just taking the time out of your busy lives to read this story!_

**Chapter #9**

"So," Dracula said sharply to Claudia, "you have failed me?"

"I'm sorry sir," Claudia said looking at the ground.

"I'm afraid sorry does not correct this rather grievous mistake," he told her sternly.

"I will go out again and get them sir."

"Don't bother," Dracula said with a smile, "they will come to us."

--- ---

Mina felt a mix of many different emotions as the heavy doors swung slowly open. She was, for the first time ever, seeing the place where not only her parents had lived but the place where her ancestors had lived. She felt as if she was looking into the past. She could almost picture her mother and father in the mansion, despite the fact that she'd never met her father.

Van Helsing held Jill and Rosita back as Mina stepped into the front hall. It was still full of the furniture that had been there when the house was lived in. Mina touched an oil painting gently wondering who the man depicted there was and how he was related to her. She looked over at Van Helsing but he just shook his head.

"I wish I could tell you about the house but I was only in it a hand full of times. Your mother will know all about it though."

"Do you think she'll tell me?" Mina asked. "She's never wanted to talk about it before."

"I think," he sighed putting an arm around her shoulders, "it'll be different this time. Now that you know so much she can't refuse to answer all of your questions."

"Do you think she'll answer all of my questions?" Jill asked sweetly coming up behind Van Helsing and Mina. Rosita followed Jill tentatively.

"I really don't think that Lydian will," he answered her.

"You don't think I'll what?" Lydian asked as she entered the room followed by the entire tribe of gypsies.

"Mom!" Mina cried happily as she flung herself at her mother. "I missed you mom, more then I thought I would."

"I've missed you too honey," her mom assured her as she returned the hug, "I even missed your high-jinks. Or at least I did until your teacher came to report your latest bit of misconduct."

"I'm sorry mom," Mina said hanging her head, "I found pictures of dad and Dracula and some other people with the last name of Valerious."

"It's okay honey," Lydian sighed looking at her daughter, "I understand. I would have told you everything if I thought that you would be finding out that information on your own."

"But you didn't," Mina accused.

"This is not that time for this," a commanding voice said, turning they all saw Madame Vouyent entering the house, leaning heavily on her gnarled walking stick. "You may figure out these petty things later. Vilhelmina let me have a look at you."

"I don't even know who you are," Mina said suspiciously looking at the short elderly woman warily.

"I am the woman who told your mother she was pregnant with you," Madame Vouyent snapped bopping Mina on the nose with her walking stick, "so you'll at least do me the courtesy of coming over and letting me get a good look at you."

Mina shot her mom a desperate look. Lydian nodded solemnly and Mina sighed, defeated and walked over to Madame Vouyent who peered up at her.

"Yes," she said finally, "you are a Valerious. You look like your father and even resemble your aunt Anna a little bit."

"You knew my father," Mina asked curiously looking at Madame Vouyent in a new light.

"If you are very good I will tell you all about him and about your family."

Just then the door swung open again. Looking over they saw Carl, Andrea, Frank, Anne, and Patrick standing in the doorway.

"There you are," Lydian said going over to them, "Madame Vouyent and I were just about to tell everyone our plan. Come one, let's all go into a more comfortable room, one with a map preferably."

Soon they were all in a sitting room Lydian had passed a map around with the Valerious family mansion and Dracula's new lair circled. She was explaining to everyone the plan she and Madame Vouyent had come up with.

"Dracula will attack us at nightfall," she told everyone, "we know that he needs to kill Mina in order to stay alive."

"We also know," Madame Vouyent continued, "that we need someone with werewolf venom in their veins to kill Dracula."

"So I guess I have to kill Dracula," Mina interrupted, "as I happen to be the only person here with werewolf blood."

"That is true," Madame Vouyent agreed while Lydian scowled. She wasn't happy about this part of the plan though she knew there was no other option.

"I don't think it would be wise to wait for Dracula to come and kill us," Lydian said, "we'll have a better chance if we're the one doing the attacking."

"There are forty-two gypsies able to fight," Madame Vouyent told them, "but even with those gypsies and all of you this will still be dangerous."

"But the gypsies will still fight?" Van Helsing asked quickly.

"We owe a lot to the Valerious family," Madame Vouyent answered, "we should have fought for them sooner."


End file.
